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Sunday comfort food - smoked meat loaf

RRP
RRP Posts: 26,455
edited May 2014 in EggHead Forum
image

A shot of the raw stage of today's comfort food - cherry wood smoked meatloaf. This isn't "your mother's recipe" but one I found 10 years ago that was egged at a Texas Eggfest though I have made my own changes over the years to suit our tastes. I like the basket as it permits "surround smoke" penetration. Meat is 1 pound ground chuck and .5 pound ground pork plus simmered pepper, onion and garlic plus spices. Rub is DP Cow Lick and Pensky's Arizona Dreaming and capped with bacon.
Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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Comments

  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    Looks like it would be tasty, but why the cage? Just curious if there is a benefit versus straight on the grid?

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    edited May 2014
    Even though that meat loaf also is held together with 1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs plus a raw egg there is liquid from beef bullion so while it is a loaf it is a moist loaf. The basket lets me sit it on the grate and I know I can take it off the grate in one contained loaf for slicing. BTW this makes a GREAT sliced cold meatloaf sandwich for lunches when there is some left over.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Mattman3969
    Mattman3969 Posts: 10,458
    So u dump out of basket and slice?? Again curiosity got me. I have done ground turkey loaf straight on the grid with no problems just makin sure I'm not missing something.

    -----------------------------------------

    analyze adapt overcome

    2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    Yes - I dump it out in one rather solid piece after it is cooked. It might be that my beef and pork meatloaf plus other ingredients make the raw  consistency different than your turkey loaf. Honestly I have never tried ground turkey so I haven't a clue how it is raw, nor cooks up, or hangs together etc.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • ericp
    ericp Posts: 152
    Looks great. I like the basket idea. I've let mine sit in vegetable baskets before but your basket is better
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  • SGH
    SGH Posts: 28,989
    @RRP‌
    Looks excellent my friend. I use a similar basket as well. If I don't I wind up with a tore up pile of ground beef instead of a meat loaf. Again yours looks great as always my friend.

    Location- Just "this side" of Biloxi, Ms.

    Status- Standing by.

    The greatest barrier against all wisdom, the stronghold against knowledge itself, is the single thought, in ones mind, that they already have it all figured out. 

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  • NPHuskerFL
    NPHuskerFL Posts: 17,629
    Ron where did ya pick up the basket? That's a slick idea. Does it end up getting stuck to wire mesh? Or are ya able to pop it loose to slice up nicely? Looks great from here!
    LBGE 2013 & MM 2014
    Die Hard HUSKER & BRONCO FAN
    Flying Low & Slow in "Da Burg" FL
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    edited May 2014
    NPHuskerFL said:
    Ron where did ya pick up the basket? That's a slick idea. Does it end up getting stuck to wire mesh? Or are ya able to pop it loose to slice up nicely? Looks great from here!
    Yes it normally pops right out! I spray it with PAM to make clean up easier, but since I cook that indirect then the meatloaf bottom doesn't get too hard and crusty. Even if it does an over night soak takes care of that issue. The basket itself is made by Brinkman and I bought it years ago at an internet BBQ supplier in IA for about $15.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Terrebandit
    Terrebandit Posts: 1,750
    The basket idea is interesting. I'll have to keep my eye out for one of those. I usually just form mine into a loaf and set it on a doubled up layer of HD foil. Then I trim the foil around the edges of the loaf, leaving a little room for sagging of the loaf. I leave more foil sticking out on each end so I can pick it up when it's done (handles). I get lots of smoke penetration this way but probably not as much as your basket. image
    Dave - Austin, TX
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    RRP said:
    NPHuskerFL said:
    Ron where did ya pick up the basket? That's a slick idea. Does it end up getting stuck to wire mesh? Or are ya able to pop it loose to slice up nicely? Looks great from here!
    Yes it normally pops right out! I spray it with PAM to make clean up easier, but since I cook that indirect then the meatloaf bottom doesn't get too hard and crusty. Even if it does an over night soak takes care of that issue. The basket itself is made by Brinkman and I bought it years ago at an internet BBQ supplier in IA for about $15.
    I guess I should say I stand corrected in that I use a spatula and lift it out rather than dump it out. BTW it still was a kick butt meatloaf meal tonight with fresh green beans and small "new tators"!
    image
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • Terrebandit
    Terrebandit Posts: 1,750
    Man, that looks great!!!
    Dave - Austin, TX
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,768
    Bet it's better tomorrow.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Just given a Mini to add to the herd. 

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  • Miked125
    Miked125 Posts: 481
    Looks wonderful!
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  • skellis614
    skellis614 Posts: 75
    @RRP Looks good, would you share a recipe by chance?
    LBGE, Burgeoning Accessories
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  • Tylerd76
    Tylerd76 Posts: 43
    Man that looks incredible, basket is great
    Mechanicsburg, PA
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  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
    Damn that looks great!
    MSV Chill Spot
    Chester County, PA

    http://egginwithedward.blogspot.com/

    http://edwardhardingphotography.zenfolio.com/
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  • pigoutsc
    pigoutsc Posts: 92
    That really looks good. Love the basket
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    skellis614 said:
    @RRP Looks good, would you share a recipe by chance?
    Here you go:

    This recipe was gleaned from one made at a Texas Eggfest in 2004. Somebody named Bob submitted it. I have made a few modifications myself over the years to our satisfaction. RRP

    Ingredients:

    1 pound 80/20 ground chuck
    ½ pound ground pork
    1 T canola oil
    ½ cup chopped onion
    ½ cup chopped green pepper
    ½ cup Panko bread crumbs – Parmesan herb style
    1 T Worcestershire
    3 cloves diced garlic
    1 raw egg
    1 tea ground black pepper
    ½ tea Kosher salt
    ½ tea Tabasco
    ¼ tea ground cumin
    ¼ cup beef stock

    Warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper and sauté. As it simmers add the ground pepper, salt, cumin, garlic and continue cooking until veggies are softened. Place this into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix and mix well with your hands by squeezing through your fingers. Then form your loaf and coat all 6 sides with a favorite rub such as Dizzy Pig Cow Lick. I use a wire basket meatloaf “pan” which allows smoke to reach it on all sides. I then lay 3 pieces of raw bacon on top, dust lightly with the CL rub again.

    Set up your BGE to cook indirect by using the plate setter with legs up and grate on top. I also foil my PS to keep the grease from getting the PS too dirty. Shoot for a 330° dome temp and cook to an internal temp of 160°. Typically this will take about 90 minutes. BTW I prefer the taste of cherry wood chips as that smoke seems to “honor” this loaf!

    ENJOY!
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • hondabbq
    hondabbq Posts: 1,986
    It looks like an old deep fryer basket. If its not im sure it would do the same.
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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    edited May 2014
    hondabbq said:
    It looks like an old deep fryer basket. If its not im sure it would do the same.
    I suppose so but with the handle removed. 
    Here's where I bought it:
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • SunDeviledEgg
    SunDeviledEgg Posts: 132
    no ketchup or anything with your recipe?
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  • Biggreenpharmacist
    Biggreenpharmacist Posts: 4,343
    SunDeviledEgg said:
    no ketchup or anything with your recipe?
    Ha!  I was thinking along the same lines only since its Ron I was expecting Duke's mayo to be smeared all over it. Regardless, it looks great. Thats one of the things I've not cooked on my egg. Gotta change that and soon. 

    Little Rock, AR

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    SunDeviledEgg said:
    no ketchup or anything with your recipe?
    Not a drop! but put it in if you want.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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  • SunDeviledEgg
    SunDeviledEgg Posts: 132
    RRP said:
    SunDeviledEgg said:
    no ketchup or anything with your recipe?
    Not a drop! but put it in if you want.
    Putting it together as we speak.  Thanks for sharing your recipe.
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  • TCT
    TCT Posts: 168
    Sears carries the Brinkman Smokers, so they may carry the basket as well.

    Craig

    Cockeysville, MD

    LBGE and a large list of stuff I want

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  • RRP
    RRP Posts: 26,455
    TCT said:
    Sears carries the Brinkman Smokers, so they may carry the basket as well.
    Amazon has those baskets as well. BTW this is an old thread and the linkage I had provided to the place in IA no longer carries them.
    Re-gasketing the USA one yard at a time 
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